Patent GB-794720-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in liquid containers
Inventor: RANDOLPH HARRY BECKHAM
IPC: A62C13/00
Filed: 1954-09-03
Abstract: 794,720. Fire-extinguishing. GRAVINER MANUFACTURING CO., Ltd., and WILKINSON SWORD Ltd., [formerly WILKINSON SWORD CO., Ltd]. Aug 17, 1955 [Sept. 3, 1954; March 10, 1955], Nos. 25610/54 and 703C/55. Class 47 [Also in Group XXVIII] A liquid container of the kind in which a pressurized gas effects ejection of the liquid comprises a liquid reservoir having a normally sealed discharge outlet, a gas reservoir, a normally sealed interconnection between the gas and liquid reservoirs, electrical operated means for unsealing the discharge outlet and further means for substantially simultaneously unsealing the interconnection whereby pressurized gas is freed to effect ejection of liquid. In Fig. 1 a liquid fire extinguisher container 10a has an outlet 11 normally sealed by a stopper 12 integrally connected to a head 13 by a thin frangible web 12a. Electrical actuation of an explosive charge 14 severs the web 12a and forces the stopper downwardly into a cup portion 16 allowing free discharge of liquid through the outlet 11. The stopper 12 is coupled by a rod 20 to a portion 20a which, after a short downward movement of the stopper strikes a shoulder 19b on a sealing member 19 and thereby fractures a thin frangible web 19a thus releasing gas under pressure from a reservoir 17 allowing it to pass through a tube 18 into the container 10a to eject the liquid through the cutlet 11. A piston 22 slidable on the rod 20 separates the gas and liquid during discharge until the piston 22 reaches a reduced diameter portion 20c of the rod 20, thereafter the gas by-passes the piston to completely empty the container 10a and any pipe line connected to the orifice 11. A similar construction may be used for a container having dual inclined discharge orifices, the connection between the tie rod and the stoppers then being flexible or in the form of an automatically disconnected linkage. The tie rod may be dispensed with and separate simultaneously fired cart-. ridges used to open each orifice. In another embodiment an electrically fired explosive charge 34, Fig. 2, builds up pressure in a frangible housing 37 until it shatters and bursts a closure gap 32 allowing free discharge of liquid from a container 30a through an outlet 31. The force of the explosion also acts upon a piston 38 which drives a hollow punch 35d through adjacent diaphragms 42, 43 which seal the container 30a and a gas reservoir 36 respectively, allowing gas under pressure in the reservoir 36 to pass into the upper end of the container 30a and displace a piston 46 to eject the liquid through the outlet 31. In order to maintain the effectiveness of the explosive charge 34 in the absence of liquid between the housing 37 and diaphragm 32, in certain attitudes of the extinguisher, the annular area surrounding the housing 37 is closed by an annular disc 48 provided with radial slits to form a number of petals which are supported by a grid 49 against the force of the explosion and which upon bursting of the cap 32 are bent away from the grid by the force of the pressurized liquid to allow free discharge of the liquid. The second Provisional Specification describes a modification basicallv similar to that of Fig. 2, but in which the gas reservoir is at the end of the container at which the liquid outlet is provided. Specifications 693,017 and 749,620 are referred to.